


The Question

by Suryaofvulcan



Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-09-04
Updated: 2006-09-04
Packaged: 2018-08-16 07:03:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,389
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8092339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Suryaofvulcan/pseuds/Suryaofvulcan
Summary: Tucker and Reed raise a child.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Kylie Lee, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [Warp 5 Complex](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Warp_5_Complex), the software of which ceased to be maintained and created a security hazard. To make future maintenance and archive growth easier, I began importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in August 2016. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but I may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [Warp 5 Complex collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/Warp5Complex).

  
Author's notes: My second Trip/Maddy story. I'm not kind to poor Maddy at all in this one.  


* * *

â€œMalcolm? Iâ€™m home!â€ Trip called as he opened the back door of their home. He walked quickly through the kitchen and into the living area, a smile pulling at his lips as he caught sight of the other man sitting quietly on their sofa, a book in his hand.

Malcolm smiled back, then brought his finger up to his lips in a â€˜hushâ€™ gesture as he indicated his lap. As Trip came forward, he saw the reason for Malcolmâ€™s silence: the small figure lying fast asleep beside him, her thumb in her mouth and her blond head resting against his thigh.

Tripâ€™s expression softened into a dopey grin. â€œHey, beautiful,â€ he murmured as he brushed the little girlâ€™s tousled hair back from her face. He glanced up at Malcolm. â€œIâ€™ll take her up to bed, if you wanna make a start on dinner,â€ he said quietly.

â€œOf course,â€ Malcolm said. It was their usual ritual.

Their meal was nearly ready by the time Trip came back downstairs.

â€œIâ€™m guessing she wanted a story,â€ Malcolm said, amusement in his tone.

â€œYeah,â€ Trip said, â€œand two more after that.â€ He paused. â€œShe seems a lot better today.â€

Malcolm nodded. â€œSheâ€™s over the worst; should be ready to go back to school in a couple of days.â€

Trip grinned fondly at him. â€œAnd you can go back to work.â€

â€œIâ€™ll stay at home as long as Iâ€™m needed,â€ Malcolm said with a smile. â€œTrip,â€ he began again after a moment, â€œyou should know, Katie asked the question today.â€

â€œWhat question?â€

â€œ*The* question.â€

â€œAh,â€ Trip said, suddenly understanding, â€œthe â€˜what happened to Mommyâ€™ question.â€ He sighed. â€œI guess it was only a matter of time, now sheâ€™s in school. What did you tell her?â€

â€œThe truth. Not all of it, but enough.â€

â€œNot the part about her mother bleeding to death less than a kilometre from a hospital â€˜cause we were caught in crossfire and couldnâ€™t get her there in time?â€ The words came out in a rush, and, even after six years, Trip couldnâ€™t keep the bitterness out of his voice.

â€œNo, not that part,â€ Malcolm said quietly, and Trip saw his own pain mirrored in the other manâ€™s eyes.

â€œOh god, Mal, Iâ€™m sorry,â€ he said, coming forward to wrap Malcolm in a bear hug. â€œI forget sometimes it was painful for you, too.â€ He spoke into Malcolmâ€™s shoulder. â€œShe was my wife for five years, but she was your sister your whole life.â€

Malcolm simply nodded as he blinked away a tear. Theyâ€™d done this many times: held onto each other as they remembered the woman theyâ€™d both loved. 

And they loved each other too: as friends and brothers-in-law, if not true brothers; as partners in raising their little girl, Tripâ€™s daughter and Malcolmâ€™s niece, if not in the way that many people assumed at first glance.

They remained like that as they both relived the horror of that night: Trip and Maddyâ€™s fateful decision to take one last off-world vacation before their child was born; Tripâ€™s frantic distress call, shortly after the explosion which had, without warning, turned an idyllic holiday resort into a war zone; Malcolmâ€™s ship being diverted to evacuate the off-worlders from the once-peaceful planet; his mad, reckless dash through the streets to reach his sister and brother-in-law, once heâ€˜d discovered his shipâ€™s transporter couldnâ€˜t pick up their signal; getting pinned down in an abandoned house as he tried desperately to get them back to the shuttle; Maddy calmly announcing that they had another problem, that she was in labour, a month too early. Both of them trying to comfort and reassure her as they delivered the thankfully healthy baby girl, accompanied by the sounds of mortar shells and gunfire in the street outside.

And then, blood. Far too much blood, and Maddyâ€™s deathly pale face in the flickering firelight as she struggled to speak.

â€œMalcolm,â€ sheâ€™d whispered. He had to lean in close to hear her. â€œHelp Trip â€¦ when Iâ€™m gone â€¦ I want you to help Trip â€¦ with the baby.â€

â€œYouâ€™re going to be fine,â€ heâ€™d lied, tears in his eyes.

She shook her head with surprising vehemence. â€œPromise me, Malcolm.â€

Heâ€™d nodded silently, unable to speak.

And then Trip had placed the baby in her arms, wrapped in his jacket, and held her hand tightly as he whispered, â€œI love you; I love you,â€ over and over, tears flowing freely down his face. There was nothing more either of them could do for her: for all Malcolmâ€™s field medic training, he didnâ€™t have the equipment or resources to save his sister.

â€œI love you, Trip,â€ sheâ€™d said with her last breath.

~~~

â€œYou okay, Malcolm?â€ Trip said at the end of their meal. â€œYouâ€™ve been kinda quiet - moreâ€™n usual, I mean.â€ He flashed the other man a grin.

â€œWhat? No, Iâ€˜m fine, really. Just â€¦ thinking,â€ Malcolm said. He paused. â€œI think we both know this wonâ€™t be the last time Katie asks about Maddy. Eventually, weâ€™ll have to tell her the whole story, about â€¦ about how I let her mother die,â€ he finished quietly.

â€œMalcolm, no!â€ Trip said, coming around the table to sit closer to his friend, forcing Malcolm to meet his eyes. â€œYou canâ€™t blame yourself for what happened.â€

â€œDonâ€™t *you* blame me?â€ Malcolm said.

Trip sighed. In all the years since Maddyâ€™s death, theyâ€™d never really talked about this. â€œYeah, well, maybe in the beginning I did, just a little,â€ he admitted, to himself as much as to Malcolm, â€œbut not now, Malcolm. It wasnâ€™t your fault. If anythinâ€™, it was mine for takinâ€™ her to that hell-hole in the first place â€¦â€

â€œBut â€¦ no-one ever imagined thereâ€™d be an attack on the island, Trip. It had been a holiday resort for decades before â€¦â€ Malcolm stopped. â€œIt wasnâ€™t your fault either,â€ he said, granting his friend the same absolution heâ€™d just received. â€œIt was just a horrible, unpredictable situation, and itâ€™s time for both of us to let go of the guilt.â€

Trip nodded in silent agreement, and then began to clear the table. Suddenly he stopped.

â€œIs that why youâ€™ve stayed with us all this time, Malcolm?â€ he said. â€œOut of guilt?â€

Malcolm shook his head. â€œNo, Trip. I stay because I made a promise. And out of love: for Maddy, for Katie, and even for you, you bloody irritating Yank.â€ He grinned, lightening the sombre mood. â€œCanâ€™t have my niece growing up ignorant of her English heritage, after all.â€

Trip returned his smile, but said pensively, â€œBut â€¦ donâ€™t you ever want a wife? Maybe kids of your own?â€

Malcolm shook his head. â€œThis is my family, Trip.â€ He considered his friendâ€™s words for a moment. â€œUnless â€¦ do you want to, Trip? Date again? Remarry?â€

â€œNah,â€ Trip responded, dismissing the idea. â€œMaddy was it for me.â€ He eyed Malcolm speculatively. â€œUnless you and I got together â€¦ since most folks just assume we are anyway.â€

Malcolm rolled his eyes. It was an old joke, running since the first time theyâ€™d been mistaken for a gay couple, back when Katie was in diapers. â€œAs much as I love you, Trip: thanks, but no thanks.â€

â€œJust checkinâ€™,â€ Trip grinned.

 

THE END


End file.
